Dismantable joint arrangement

Abstract

The invention is concerned with a dismantable joint arrangement comprising three pairs of spaced-apart parallel members, which are arranged relative to one another such that the members of each pair cross the members of the other pairs in abutting engagement therewith and any one pair of members has a respective second pair of members interposed therebetween and a respective third pair of members adjoined thereto and interposed between the members of the respective second pair. At least two dowell-type coupling elements are associated with each pair for positioning the members thereof against those interposed therebetween. The coupling elements are removably inserted in corresponding holes formed at the crossings of the members and are slidably frictionally engaged in the holes so as to be retained therein by frictional force while being slidably removable by the application of manual force. The members of the respective third pair cooperate with the members of the one pair and the respective second pair to stabilize the relative position of these members and the coupling elements associated with the respective second pair releasably lock the members of the respective third pair in place to thereby provide a rigid and secure joint for all the members. The joint arrangement of the invention may be easily dismantled by slidably removing at least one of the coupling elements associated with the respective second pair so as to release at least one of the members of the respective third pair and thereby enable the remaining members to be taken apart.

I claim: 
     
       1. A dismantable joint arrangement comprising only three groups of only two members in each group, said two members of each of said groups being oriented as pairs of spaced-apart parallel members, said pairs of members being arranged relative to one another such that the members of each pair cross the members of the other pairs in abutting engagement therewith and any one pair of members has a respective second pair of members interposed therebetween and a respective third pair of members adjoined thereto and interposed between the members of said respective second pair, and at least two dowell-type coupling elements associated with each pair for positioning the members thereof against those interposed therebetween, said coupling elements being removably inserted in corresponding holes formed at the crossings of said members and being slidably frictionally engaged in said holes so as to be retained therein by frictional force while being slidably removable by the application of manual force, the members of said respective third pair cooperating with the members of said one pair and said respective second pair to stabilize the relative position of said members and the coupling elements associated with said respective second pair releasably locking the members of said respective third pair in place to thereby provide a rigid and secure joint for all said members, whereby said joint arrangement may be dismantled by slidably removing at least one of the coupling elements associated with said respective second pair so as to release at least one of the members of said respective third pair and thereby enable the remaining members to be taken apart. 
     
     
       2. A joint arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein there are two said coupling elements associated with said respective second pair and disposed on either side of said one pair. 
     
     
       3. A joint arrangement as claimed in claim 2, wherein said coupling elements associated with said respective second pair are each inserted in through-holes formed in the members of said respective second pair and registering with through-holes formed in the members of said respective third pair whereby to extend entirely through said members. 
     
     
       4. A dismantable joint arrangement comprising three pairs of spaced-apart parallel members, said pairs of members being arranged relative to one another such that the members of each pair cross the members of the other pairs in abutting engagement therewith and any one pair of members has a respective second pair of members interposed there-between and a respective third pair of members adjoined thereto and interposed between the members of said respective second pair, and at least two dowell-type coupling elements associated with each pair for positioning the members thereof against those interposed therebetween, said coupling elements being removably inserted in corresponding holes formed at the crossings of said members and being slidably frictionally engaged in said holes so as to be retained therein by frictional force while being slidably removable by the application of manual force, the members of said respective third pair cooperating with the members of said one pair and said respective second pair to stabilize the relative position of said members and the coupling elements associated with said respective second pair releasably locking the members of said respective third pair in place to thereby provide a rigid and secure joint for all said members, whereby said joint arrangement may be dismantled by slidably removing at least one of the coupling elements associated with said respective second pair so as to release at least one of the members of said respective third pair and thereby enable the remaining members to be taken apart; wherein there are two said coupling elements associated with said respective second pair and disposed on either side of said one pair;   wherein said coupling elements associated with said respective second pair are each inserted in a through-hole formed in one member of said respective second pair and in a blind-hole formed in the other member of said respective second pair, said through-hole and blind-hole registering with a through-hole formed in each member of said respective third pair, whereby each said coupling element extends entirely through said one member of said respective second pair and said member of said respective third pair and partially through said other member of said respective second pair.   
     
     
       5. A joint arrangement as claimed in claims 3 or 4, wherein there are two said coupling elements associated with each said one pair and said respective third pair and disposed respectively on either side of said respective third pair and said respective second pair, each said coupling element being inserted in blind-holes formed in the members of its associated pair and registering with a through-hole formed in each member interposed between said associated pair, whereby each said coupling element extends partially through the members of its associated pair and entirely through the interposed member. 
     
     
       6. A dismantable joint arrangement comprising three pairs of spaced-apart parallel members, said pairs of members being arranged relative to one another such that the members of each pair cross the members of the other pairs in abutting engagement therewith and any one pair of members has a respective second pair of members interposed there-between and a respective third pair of members adjoined thereto and interposed between the members of said respective second pair, and at least two dowell-type coupling elements associated with each pair for positioning the members thereof against those interposed therebetween, said coupling elements being removably inserted in corresponding holes formed at the crossings of said members and being slidably frictionally engaged in said holes so as to be retained therein by frictional force while being slidably removable by the application of manual force, the members of said respective third pair cooperating with the members of said one pair and said respective second pair to stabilize the relative position of said members and the coupling elements associated with said respective second pair releasably locking the members of said respective third pair in place to thereby provide a rigid and secure joint for all said members, whereby said joint arrangement may be dismantled by slidably removing at least one of the coupling elements associated with said respective second pair so as to release at least one of the members of said respective third pair and thereby enable the remaining members to be taken apart; wherein there are two said coupling elements associated with each said one pair and said respective third pair and disposed respectively on either side of said respective third pair and said respective second pair, each said coupling element being inserted in blind-holes formed in the members of its associated pair and registering with a through-hole formed in each member interposed between said associated pair, whereby each said coupling element extends partially through the members of its associated pair and entirely through the interposed member.   
     
     
       7. A joint arrangement as claimed in claim 6, wherein there are two said coupling elements associated with said respective second pair and disposed on either side of said one pair, and wherein one of said coupling elements is inserted through-holes formed in the members of said respective second pair and registering with a through-hole formed in one member of said respective third pair whereby to extend entirely through said members, the other coupling element being inserted in blind-holes formed in the members of said respective second pair and registering with a through-hole formed in the other member of said respective third pair, whereby said other coupling element extends partially through said members of said respective second pair and entirely through said other member of said respective third pair. 
     
     
       8. A joint arrangement as claimed in claim 6, wherein there are two said coupling elements associated with said respective second pair and disposed on either side of said one pair, and wherein one of said coupling elements is inserted in a through-hole formed in one member of said respective second pair and in a blind-hole formed in the other member of said respective second pair, said through-hole and blind-hole registering with a through-hole formed in one member of said respective third pair, whereby said one coupling element extends entirely through said one member of said respective second pair and said one member of said respective third pair and partially through said other member of said respective second pair, the other coupling element being inserted in blind-holes formed in the members of said respective second pair and registering with a through-hole formed in the other member of said respective third pair, whereby said other coupling element extends partially through said members of said respective second pair and entirely through said other member of said respective third pair. 
     
     
       9. A dismantable joint arrangement comprising three pairs of spaced-apart parallel members, said pairs of members being arranged relative to one another such that the members of each pair cross the members of the other pairs in abutting engagement therewith and any one pair of members has a respective second pair of members interposed there-between and a respective third pair of members adjoined thereto and interposed between the members of said respective second pair, and at least two dowell-type coupling elements associated with each pair for positioning the members thereof against those interposed therebetween, said coupling elements being removably inserted in corresponding holes formed at the crossings of said members and being slidably frictionally engaged in said holes so as to be retained therein by frictional force while being slidably removable by the application of manual force, the members of said respective third pair cooperating with the members of said one pair and said respective second pair to stabilize the relative position of said members and the coupling elements associated with said respective second pair releasably locking the members of said respective third pair in place to thereby provide a rigid and secure joint for all said members, whereby said joint arrangement may be dismantled by slidably removing at least one of the coupling elements associated with said respective second pair so as to release at least one of the members of said respective third pair and thereby enable the remaining members to be taken apart; wherein there are two pairs of said coupling elements associated with each said one pair of members and said respective third pair of members and disposed respectively on either side of said respective third pair and said respective second pair, each said coupling element being inserted in a blind-hole formed in each member of its associated pair and registering with a blind-hole formed in each member interposed between said associated pair, whereby each said coupling element extends partially through each member of its associated pair as well as through the interposed member.   
     
     
       10. A joint arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least two coupling elements associated with each said pair of members are parallel with one another and the coupling elements associated with any one pair of members lie in a different plane in relation to those associated with the other pairs of members. 
     
     
       11. A joint arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said coupling element is elongated and has a circular cross-section. 
     
     
       12. A joint arrangement as claimed in claim 11, wherein each said coupling element has chamfered end edges. 
     
     
       13. A joint arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the members of each pair lie in a respective plane and said three pairs of members are arranged relative to one another such that their respective planes intersect are right angles. 
     
     
       14. A dismantable joint arrangement comprising only three groups of only two members in each group, said two members of said groups being oriented as pairs of spaced-apart parallel members, said pairs of members being arranged relative to one another such that the members of each pair cross the members of the other pairs in abutting engagement therewith and any one pair of members has a respective second pair of members interposed therebetween and a respective third pair of members adjoined thereto and interposed between the members of said respective second pair, and dowell-type coupling elements positioning the members of each pair against those interposed therebetween, there being at least one said coupling element associated with said respective second pair and at least two said coupling elements associated with each of said one pair and said respective third pair, said coupling elements being removably inserted in corresponding holes formed at the crossings of said members and being slidably frictionally engaged in said holes so as to be retained therein by frictional force while being slidably removable by the application of manual force, the members of said respective third pair cooperating with the members of said one pair and said respective second pair to stabilize the relative position of said members and said at least one coupling element associated with said respective second pair releasably locking at least one of the members of said respective third pair in place to thereby provide a rigid joint for all said members.